Word Origin & History

1640s, "regard as the same," from French identifier, from identité (see identity). Sense of "recognize" first recorded 1769. Meaning "make one (with), associate (oneself)" is from 1780. Sense of "serve as means of identification" is attested by 1886. Related: Identified; identifying.

Example Sentences foridentifying

So he had a possible means of identifying the man who had taken the money.

He felt that he could not be mistaken in identifying the charm.

He saved her the trouble of identifying him by coming forward.

There is the danger of identifying language, not with thoughts but with ideas.

The mode of knowing and identifying children in Tibet is peculiar.

As a matter of course, I exclude the possibility of identifying the patient.

There seemed to be no way of identifying it, even if he should track the thief.

He could tell because of the absence of the identifying gleam in her eyes.

It's been printed out, too, so there isn't much chance of identifying the writing.

What identifying features does it have that will enable us to recognize it?